Lid capping device



March 14, 1961 A. w. KINNEY 2,974,459

LID CAPPING DEVICE Filed Jun 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ALFREDW/AA/fl/V/ K/A/A/EV MQM/L- A rm A/EY March 14, 1961 A. w. KINNEY2,974,459

LID CAPPING DEVICE Filed June 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I QWQM LIDCAPPING nnvrca Alfred William Kinney, Washington, N.J., assignor toAmerican Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey FiledJulie 9, 1959, Ser. No. smear 6 Claims. c1. Sa -s42 The presentinvention pertains to a device for applying deformable lids to papercontainers and in particular pertains to a device for crimping themarginal edge of a deformable lid around a peripheral bead on a papercontainer such as a paper cup to secure the lid to the container.

Lid capping devices of the general type disclosed and claimed herein arewell known in the art, for example, those shown in U.S. Patents Nos.2,826,026, 2,835,093 and 2,830,419. However, one deficiency existing inthese prior art capping devices is that no provision is made for theprevention of vertical crushing of the containers by excessive verticalpressure. It is a fact that on occasion containers, in all otherrespects perfect containers, are turned out which are of a length beyondthe prescribed tolerances. If no provision is made to compensate forthis abnormal length in an automatic capping device, the cappingmechanism which is set for shorter containers crushes these abnormallylong containers, making them unmarketable and causing loss of anycontents packed therein.

With a hand capping device, the vertical pressure exerted is at thediscretion of the user and therefore subject to human error. If toogreat a pressure is exerted, vertical crushing and spoilage of thecontainer results with consequent wastage of its contents.

It is therefore an object of the instant invention to provide arelatively simple and inexpensive device for capping paper containers,which device has incorporated therein provision to prevent verticalcrushing of the containers due to excessive capping pressure.

Still another object is to provide a device of the character describedwhich, when operating automatically will compensate for abnormally longcontainers and thereby prevent the crushing thereof.

A further object is to provide a device of the character describedwhich, when hand operated, will automatically compensate for excessivehand pressure and thereby prevent vertical crushing of the container.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevational view in sectionshowing the relationship of the parts of the capping device, the lid andpaper container at the beginning of a capping stroke. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of one of the crimping jaws used in the device. Fig. 3is a side elevational view in section showing the relationship of theparts of the device, lid and container, at the end of a capping stroke.Fig. 4 is a plan View partly in section and with parts broken away, ofthe device shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, sideelevational view in section, showing the relationship of the parts ofthe device when acting on an abnormally long container.

The function of the device of the instant invention is Patented Mar. 14,1961 to crimp the peripheral margin A of a lid B made from somedeformable material such as thin gauge sheet aluminum around theperipheral bead C of a paper container or cup D, thereby firmly securingthe lid B to the container D.

In the operation of the device, the cup D and capping device with thelid B carried on a lid retainer 10 are moved vertically relative to oneanother, either by the capping device moving downwardly onto the cup Dor the cup D moving up into a housing 12 of the capping device by somesuitable means not shown. Upon such relative vertical movement, the cupD first engages the lid B and then the loosely assembled cup and lid arebrought into engagement with a curling member 14. Upon continuedrelative vertical movement, the peripheral margin A is forced around thebead C, whereupon a plurality of jaw members 16 rock inwardly to wipe orcrimp the free edge of the peripheral margin under the bead C.Thereafter, the cup D with the lid B firmly attached thereto iswithdrawn from the device for subsequent use, whereupon the parts of thedevice automatically return to starting position. The'capping device maybe either hand operated whereby it would be forced downwardly onto a lidand cup; or it could be attached to and/ or be part of an automaticmachine whereby the cup and lid would be forced up into the device.

The housing 12 is generally cylindrical in shape, having its upper endclosed by means of end wall 18, a side wall 19 integral with the endwall 18 and being open at its lower end to receive a lid and containerto be joined. The lid retaining member 16 is removably secured by anysuitable means to the lower free end of the body side wall 19. The lidretaining member 10 comprises a pair of straight, flat rails, 20, 2d,each having a groove 21, 21', at its inwardly disposed face 22, 2.2. Thefaces 22, 22' are spaced apart a distance slightly less than thediameter of the lid B to be retained, whereby the peripheral margin Amay extend into the groove 21, 21' and be retained therein, therebysupporting the entire lid B.

Immediately above and spaced radially inwardly of the retaining member10 is the curling member 14. As shown in the drawing, the curling member14 is substantially in the shape of an inverted cup, having an upper end24 and side wall 26 which terminates-in a downwardly directed face 28.The face 28 has, adjacent its junction with the side wall 2.6, anannular, arcuate groove 30. Upon relative upward vertical movement ofthe loosely assembled lid B of cup D as mentioned hereinbefore, thearcuate groove 30 presses into and curls the peripheral margin A aroundand in tight engagement with the upper portion of the bead C.

The curling member 14- is fixedly mounted in the center of its end 24 onthe lower end of a shank or post 32. The upper end of post 32 isslidably mounted in a boss 33 in the center of the housing end 18. Thepost 32 is retained on the boss 33 by means of a washer 3-4 and nut 35.This slidable attachment of post 32 with the housing 12 and its fixedattachment to curling member 14 permits relative vertical motion betweenthe housing 12 and curling member 14.

Mounted circumferentially around the curling member 14 are the crimpingjaws 16. In the device illustrated there are 8 crimping jaws. Eachcrimping jaw 16 comprises an upper arm 36, a lower arm 37, each beingroughly segmental in shape, and an arcuate connecting web 38therebetween. The upper arm 36 terminates in a rounded node 40 inengagement with and adapted to rock upon the upper bearing surface ofthe end wall 24 of curling member 14. The inner end of the lower arm 37terminates in an arcuate crimping face 41 adapted to engage theperipheral margin of the lid B and crimp it under the bead C. Extendingradially outwardly from and integral with the connecting web 38 is a pin42 pivotally mounted in an elongated aperture or slot 44 in the sidewall 19 of the housing 12. The dimensions of slot 44 are such that thepin 42' is restricted against anyfsidewise or circumferential motion butis permitted pivotal and vertical straight line movement. The insidesurface of the housing side wall 19 below the apertures 44 is flaredoutwardly to provide a space into which the portions of the jaws 16below the pins 42 can retract to clear the curling member 14 whencurling member 14 is in the depressed or at-rest position. Above thelowermost edges of the apertures 44, the inside surface of the housingside wall 19 is vertical. The vertical portion of the sidewall 19 actsas a stop against which the web portion 38 of the jaws 16 abut to limitinward oscillation of the lower arm 37 and thereby preventcircumferential orushing of the container being capped. The verticalportion of the side wall 19 also acts as a bearing surface on which theabutting web portions 38 of the jaws 16 slide vertically relative to theside wall 19.

A pressure plate 46 slidably mounted on the post 32 above the curlingmember 14 engages against the top surface of the arms 36. The pressureplate 46 is forced in a downward direction and into engagement with thearms 36 by means of a compression spring 43 surrounding the post 32between the pressure plate 46 and the boss 33. The spring pressuretransferred to the pressure plate 46 keeps the nodes 40 of the arms 36in rock' ing engagement with the upper bearing surface of the end wall24, thereby retaining the jaws 16 within the device. When no cup and lidare being acted upon, the pressure of the spring 48 maintains theelements of the device in their retracted or at-rest position, as shownin Fig. 1.

Upon insertion of a loosely assembled cup and lid into the device anddownward movement of the housing 12 relative to the cup and lid, thecurling head 14 and the post 32 move upwardly relative to the housing12, and the pins 42 begin to pivot about the inner, lower edge of theslots 44 thereby oscillating the jaw members 16 and their lower arms 37towards and into engagement with the peripheral margin A. As therelative movements of the aforementioned parts continues, the crimpingface 41 forces the free edge of the peripheral margin A underneath andinto locking engagement with the bead C.

When the vertical pressure is such that relative vertical movementbetween the cup D and the housing 12 continues after the parts of thedevice have assumed the positions shown in Fig. 3, such as due toexcessive hand pressure in a hand operated device or the insertion of anabnormally long cup in a machine operated device, vertical crushing ofthe cup would result were it not for the elongated configuration of theslots 44. By virtue of this elongated configuration of the slots 44, thejaws 16 and curling member 14 maintain their position relative to eachother and to the cup and lid as the housing 12 moves downwardlyrelatives to these elements so that these elements assume the positionshown in Fig. 5. In other words, a margin of safety equal to the lengthof the slots 44 is provided to prevent cup crushmg.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A capping device for securing a lid to a paper container having aperipheral bead surrounding its open end by crimping the marginaledgeof'saidlid around said bead, said device comprising housing means havinga side wall with a plurality of vertically elongated apertures therein,lid retaining means secured to said housing means, lid curling meansmounted within said housing for engaging the peripheral margin of saidlid and curling it around said container bead, connecting means joiningsaid curling means and housing means for reciprocating movement relativeto one another, jaw means pivotally connected to said housing means toengage said lid margin after its engagement by said lid curling means tocrimp said margin under said bead, said jaw means being in engagementwith said lid curling means and being actuated by the reciprocatingmotion of said curling means and housing means relative to one another,and a pin integral with each of said jaw means loosely mounted withineach of said apertures whereby said lid curling means, said connectingmeans and said jaw means reciprocate together relative to said housingto compensate automatically for excessive capping pressure and preventcrushing of said container during a capping operation.

2. A capping device for securing a lid or cap to a paper containerhaving a peripheral bead surrounding its open end by crimping themarginal edge of said lid around said bead, said device comprising avertically extending cylindrical housing closed at its upper end andopen at its lower end to receive a container to be capped, the side wallof said cylindrical housing having a plurality of evenly spacedvertically elongated apertures therein, lid retaining means secured tothe lowermost edge of tie side wall of said cylindrical housing, lidcurling means mounted inside said housing with an annularly extendingarcuate groove in the lowermost face thereof for engaging the peripheralmargin of said lid and forcing it around said container head, a verticalpost connecting said housing and said lid curling means forreciprocating movement relative to one another, a plurality of jawsmounted circum-ferentially around said in engagement with said lidcurling means for oscillating motion toward and away from said lidcurling means upon said reciprocation of said curling means and adaptedto engage said lid margin after its engagement by said lid curling meansto crimp said margin under said bead, and a pin integral with each ofsaid jaws and extending radially outwardly therefrom, said pin pivotallymounted within said aperture whereby said jaws are acuated by therelative reciprocating movement of said housing and said lid curlingmeans, said aperture having a larger vertical dimension than said pinwhereby said lid curling means, said post and said jaws are permitted toreciprocate in unison relative to said housing to compensateautomatically for excessive capping pressure and prevent crushing ofsaid container during a capping operation.

3. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein the portion of the insidesurface of said housing side wall below said apertures flares outwardlyproviding a space into which the lower portion of said jaws are disposedwhen said device is inactive.

4. A capping device for securing a lid to a paper container having aperipheral bead surrounding its open end by crimping the marginal edgeof said lid around said bead, said device comprising a cylindricalhousing open at its lower end and closed at its upper end, a grooved lidretaining flange removably secured to the free peripheral edge of theside wall of said housing, a vertical shank slidably mounted adjacentits upper end in the center of the end wall of said housing with itslower end extending towards the open end of said housing and adapted forreciprocating movement relative to said housing, a curling head fixedlymounted at its center on the lower end of said shank, said headcomprising a horizontal bearing member and an annular arcuate curlinggroove in the lowermost face thereof for engaging said lid margin andcurling it around said head upon vertical movement'of said containerrelative to said housing, a plurality of jaws mounted circumferentiallyaround said curling head between said annular skirt and lid engagingmember and adapted forrocking motion around a pivot toward and away fromsaid curling head upon relative reciprocating movement between saidhousing and said shank, each of said jaws having a radially inwardlyextending upper and lower arm and an arcuate web connecting said arms,said upper arm terminating in a rounded node in engagement with saidbearing member of said head for rocking motion thereon, said lower armterminating in an arcuate lid engaging edge engageable with said lidmarginal edge to crimp said edge around said head upon inwardoscillation of said lower arm, a pressure plate slidably mounted on saidshank above said curling head and bearing against the upper surface ofeach of said upper arms of said jaws to maintain said nodes inengagement with said head bearing member, a compression springsurrounding said shank between said end Wall of said housing and saidpressure plate to force said pressure plate in a downward directionagainst said jaw upper arms, and a pin extending radially outwardly fromthe web of each of said jaws and engaged in a corresponding aperture insaid side wall of said housing to retain said jaws within said housingand to provide a pivot upon which said jaws rock, said aperture havingthe same transverse dimension as said pin but-being elongated in avertical direction whereby said pin has limited vertical and oscillatorymovement but is restricted from any transverse movement within saidaperture whereby said jaws, curling head, pressure plate and shank havelimited uprward vertical movement relative to said housing under theaction of excessive capping pressure without further inward oscillationof said jaw lower arm, thereby preventing vertical and circumferentialcrushing of said container.

5. The device set forth in claim 4 wherein the portion of the insidesurface of said housing side wall above said apertures is vertical andacts as a stop against which the web portion of said jaws abuts to limitinward oscillation of the lower arm of said jaws.

6. The device set forth in claim 5 wherein said web portion 06: saidjaws abuts against and slides verticallyupwardly relative to saidvertical surface of said housing side wall when compensating for saidexcessive capping pressure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS880,408 Schmitt Feb. 25, 1908 1,257,709 Januchowsky et a1. Feb. 26, 19182,359,561 Kantor Oct. 3, 1944 2,826,026 Annen Mar. 11, 1958

